The Academy Awards, more known as the Oscars, is an annual awards show presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where actors and nominees hope to receive awards to recognize their cinematic achievements. This is a prestigious and respected award, and the 2025 Oscars was the 97th year these awards were given to the top actors and people who make the movie magic happen.
At Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O’Brien on Mar. 2nd at 7:00pm, the 2025 Oscars had commenced. First, giving tribute to the red carpet that led to the award show, and Julianne Hough and Jesse Palmer giving viewers an introduction to some of the nominees and telling viewers what the Oscars is all about.
The orchestra and the tapping of Dorothy’s ruby red shoes was the start of the show, which then panned to the beauty of Los Angeles and a collection of the famously known movies that were filmed there. Not long after, Glinda from Wicked, played by Ariana Grande, sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and then Elphaba, played by Cythia Erivo, sang “Home” from 1978’s The Whiz. To end off their performance with a bang, in a duet, Grande and Erivo sang Wicked’s famous, most iconic number, “Defying Gravity.”
As an ode to The Substance, Conan O’Brien took his twist on a small snippet of the movie as his introduction to being the host for the night, which wowed and humored the audience. Throughout the Oscars, it was filled with not only the giving and receiving of awards, but also performances by A-list celebs in the crowd, starting off with Adam Sandler and Timothée Chalamet. Whether funny, beautiful, or heartwarming, these performances are a memorable aspect of the show and occur between receiving the awards and all the speeches. These A-list celebrities and the other nominees who had won, received their awards beautifully and showed true raw emotion.
Just to touch on some of the awards given, Anora won “Best Actress in Leading Role,” “Best Directing,” “Best Writing (Original Screenplay),” and “Best Film Editing.” Wicked was another big winner, receiving “Best Costume Design” and “Best Production Design.” The Substance also was given awards for Makeup and Hairstyling, and Dune: Part 2 was awarded Visual Effects. This only scratches the surface of only some of the winners of the 2025 Oscars.
The Oscars are not only a time when the celebrities receive awards and talk about their achievements, but also a time for their outfits to dominate and have their own moment. Every celebrity tries their best to wow the crowd with their best attire. The red carpet is full of jaw-droppingly stunning outfits that are bedazzled, silky, shiny, tight, poofy, and just about anything and everything imaginable is found on the red carpet. “Forget the Yellow Brick Road. This is the only path that matters today,” says Julianne Hough.
The definition of giving a moment to the outfit is the small videos from the Glambot. The Glambot is a slow-motion device that pans to a celebrity and their unique outfits in slow motion. This Glambot goes viral on social media constantly, showcasing these stars’ best Glambots or even worst ones. It’s an exciting addition to the Oscars and is something all viewers look forward to.
Ariana Grande was spotted in Schiaparelli Haute Couture, an absolutely stunning baby pink corset that fanned out in what looked like structured ruffles that then fell into a soft shiny champagne-colored tulle, down to the floor. This was truly a beautiful dress and was nothing short of all of Ariana Grande’s magnificent looks in the past years. Cynthia Erivo was in Louis Vuitton, a dark green, velvet gown with a sharp, elegant color that had a large fanned-out bow on her dress, which complemented her pillowy skirt. These two looks from the Wicked co-stars showed Ariana Grande, who played Glinda’s pink and girly side, while Cynthia Erivo, Elphaba, had green skin and favored darker colors.
Selena Gomez is back in her prime. She was wearing a sculpted, bedazzled Ralph Lauren dress and a large jeweled necklace, complimenting her fair skin tone and short, dark hair. Demi Moore, looking as young as ever, was wearing Armani to her first ever Oscars.
These stars were just some of the large pool of beautiful, unique outfits at the Oscars. I’m looking forward to next year’s Glambot, awards, and red carpet! Can the 97th Oscars ever be topped?
